Thread: Search for room -> studio installation

chad.newbry

New member
Hi,

I'm a hip-hop producer based in San Francisco. Please let me know if this isn't the right place for this, or if more information is needed.

Right now I've been working out of a bedroom studio (pictures attached).
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I'm hoping to setup a studio for tracking and mixing in a new (yet to be rented) apartment / loft. I'm hoping to find a space that's private enough that I don't prevent neighbors from sleeping, as well as big enough that I can get resonably good acoustics after treating the space.

The first question I have is whart sort of spaces should I be looking for? I've been focusing on basements/cellars, garages, rooms in lofts in that order. My thoughts being that list goes from most isolated from other people to least.

P.S. I'll try and keep this thread updated with spaces that I've looked at, as well as pictures of the build once I start doing it!

Best,
Chad
 
If your music is going to be loud enough to disturb neighbors, then you have to find a place with no neighbors, because soundPROOFing will not be 100% doable.
 
If you have choice, look for a space that you have open walls that can be acoustically treated without limiting space.

You will be best with a room with dimensions that are not even in numbers. Like 8x10x12' is a nightmare for room modes.

Are those the new Adam Monitors?
 
mjbphotos thanks for the reply! I think I'll have to do that then.

To be clear 90% of my time will be low level listening to instrumentals / mixing, but I want to be able to rap as loud as I can (yell) at 1AM and not worry about getting noise complaints. No need for amplified sound though.

What are your thoughts on a loft where I could build a fully enclosed room inside of it. So the sound would have to go through both the room and then the loft walls? (Was going to post an example picture, but I'm still too much of a newbie to be allowed).
 
jimmys69 - to make sure I understand you open walls are when the walls haven't been covered with drywall or something? So you can see the frame? I've been seeing a few different basements and a lot of them have been like that on the ceiling where I could put a bunch of insulation.

Had heard about multiples in room modes 5 : 10 for instance. Hadn't heard about even room modes. Will keep that in mind. They are ADAM-A7 so no.
 
A ;room with a room' is not always possible - specially in a loft due to weight loads. You need to build a fully-framed room, hang drywall on the inside, have a 'ceiling' with studs, floating floor, etc.
 
As someone who has worked in construction the practicalities of 'building something in a loft' are very limited as the one deciding factor is access.

Can you get long enough lengths of timber and board material through your building and then through your loft access?

Then you have as already mentioned the existing construction......will the loft construction support all this weight which does really mount up?

If it were me I think I would look elsewhere with a spare room/garage/garden/basement/cellar to rent and save lots of disappointment and most probably save cash with an easier time of it.
 
Hey Orson,

Good point about making sure I could get materials in / out of the space properly I hadn't thought about that.

Some of the lofts I'm thinking about are converted warehouses. I'd most likely put the studio portion on the ground floor which as near as I can tell is a concrete slab.

Either way it sounds like the concensus is to find a basement / cellar or a garage as it will be cheaper as I won't to do as much construction (of a floor, ceiling, walls).
 
Hey Orson,

Good point about making sure I could get materials in / out of the space properly I hadn't thought about that.

Some of the lofts I'm thinking about are converted warehouses. I'd most likely put the studio portion on the ground floor which as near as I can tell is a concrete slab.

Either way it sounds like the concensus is to find a basement / cellar or a garage as it will be cheaper as I won't to do as much construction (of a floor, ceiling, walls).

Yeah and take from me cus I have been there. You have the worse of your options with a loft and building in one is either boiling hot or freezing cold and dirty, dusty, irritating, annoying and you are glad to get out of it when finished.
 
So I just toured a live/work space that I think might work for my studio setup. I wanted to get feedback from you'll on it to see if it makes sense!

I attached a rough floorplan of the space. The area I'm thinking of using is 11 x 20. I'm thinking of using 11 x 15 of it and leaving 5 of it for part of a small bedroom area. Open to using all 20 of it if that would work better acoustically.

The biggest thing I'm struggling with at the moment is where to put a vocal booth. Wondering if anyone here has suggestions!

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Check any potential sites for RFI sources. A cell phone tower 100mtrs away is probably no problem but 10mtrs or less could be!

Farm buildings are often isolated but not good if farmer Giles starts TIG welding. Similar serious mains borne and radiated electrical energies can be hard/impossible to keep out.

A good test is to take a guitar amp and guitar to any site you view. Plug in and set the volume to a tad under feedback and leave buzzing (they always do, a bit) while you wander around and take measurements etc. Any loud farty noises or actual radio programme indicates you could have a big RFI problem. A valve amp such as a Fender Champ is best but any decent amp will do at a pinch.

You should also check that the mains electrics are in good condition. SAFE! You also need a landline that can give you a fair internet speed. Wireless kit and studios often do not a happy marriage make.

Dave.
 
Vocal booth? Don't unless you can make it completely dead which effectively means it starts twice the finished size and is lined with huge amounts of absorbers. The best option, outlined here at HR many times is to construct a "tent" of duvets, blankets, whatever and keep room sounds from getting back into the mic. As this is a stepup from the bedroom scenario you can make something better in the form of movable frames. Called "Gobos" these are also useful for breaking up room reflections (and you can build mains diss strips and/or XLR boxes in them)

Dave.
 
Looks ok. It all depends on your cash and if the neighbours/surrounding area make noise that will affect you.
 
You should also check that the mains electrics are in good condition. SAFE! You also need a landline that can give you a fair internet speed. Wireless kit and studios often do not a happy marriage make.

Dave.

Another good callout thanks!

I checked the internet and it is suitable.
 
Sometimes live'work spaces like this have artists who may be working and don't want audio disturbance from neighbors. How are you planning on isolating that 15'x20 area from the 'bedroom' and kitchen and entrance area?
 
Sometimes live'work spaces like this have artists who may be working and don't want audio disturbance from neighbors. How are you planning on isolating that 15'x20 area from the 'bedroom' and kitchen and entrance area?

I'm not as I'll be the only person using this space. I wasn't clear what I meant by "live/work". In this case I meant it's less finished (doesn't have proper bedrooms, the bathroom is fairly limited). Below me is a cellar (so I don't think that needs to be isolated). Above me is another living unit, but I'm hoping the room I build inside the 15x20x(15?) space will provide enough isolation so that it's not an issue.

---------- Update ----------

Looks ok. It all depends on your cash

I'm hoping to keep the project in the 10-15k range.
 
As this is a stepup from the bedroom scenario you can make something better in the form of movable frames. Called "Gobos" these are also useful for breaking up room reflections (and you can build mains diss strips and/or XLR boxes in them)

Dave.
Hadn't heard of or even considered "Gobos" will look into these. They sound like they might be exactly what I'm looking for!
 
Vocal booth? Don't unless you can make it completely dead which effectively means it starts twice the finished size and is lined with huge amounts of absorbers.

Dave.

Will keep that in mind. I think I might have room under the loft section of the apartment. Either way I think I'll save that project for once the control room is done.

I think I might build the control room with a somewhat forward looking setup so I could add a vocal booth in the future. It's already becoming clear this project is going to take a ton of time and I'd imagine I'll be itching to use the control room as soon as possible. I haven't dug into the details of running xlr cables, but I remember reading it's much easier to put wires in ahead of time than it is to add them later.
 
A cellar? Assuming the floor above it is wood they will be "connected" at low frequencies. This means you can put bass trap material in there. Need not be fancy, GF or rockwool left in bags and stacked in corners. Hopefully there is nothing noisy in there? Furnace, AC?

Cables: Put in loads and I mean a S***T LOAD! Clip some 1.25" PVC water wastepipe to the walls and runs wires in that (and always leave a strong plastic line in there as a future "pull thru') . Don't buy expensive HD super flexible balanced mic cable and hide it! Foil screened two core is actually better for RF screening. Only 3-4mm OD and the drain wire means it is a dream to strip and connect. You can also use CAT5/6 shielded (FTP) cable. Cheap as chips and each 6mm cable gives you 4 twisted pairs. Not only can CATX carry audio but there are cheap adaptors that allow video (HDMI over a pair) S/PDIF down it plus of course Ethernet!

Err? "Control room"? Do you intend two separate spaces a la "posh" studios with double (triple!) glazed window between? If so why? You can't monitor/watch yourself! The problem with HS'es is almost always small rooms. Use ALL the volume you can for both recording and mixing.

Dave.
 
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